Flat cable wiring systems are gaining wide acceptance and have numerous advantages over conventional round wire systems, some of which are compactness, less weight and lower costs to manufacture. One of the difficulties encountered when using flat cable wiring systems is integrating them with round cable wiring systems, or, of course, with other flat cable systems.
Much of this problem has been overcome by use of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,964, Flat Cable Wiring System, by M. Cronin, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. As disclosed therein, the conductors are terminated at apertured contact pads and connected to a first set of pin-type terminals on a mounting board. The round wires are terminated in conventional eyelets which are connected to a second set of pins on the mounting board. The flat and round conductors are interconnected by means of a programmable flexible printed circuit or circuit board interposed between the two sets of individual pins. The programmable circuit provided by the board or flexible circuit and wires are secured by a resilient compression member and a cover bolted to the mounting board.
This prior invention, however, did not solve the problem of connecting flat cable to components (so-called "black boxes") that must be readily removed, such as radio receivers, radar consoles and instruments located in the flight station of an aircraft. For this type of application, the prior art device had certain shortcomings. For example, when the component was removed, a number of loose parts from the connector assembly would remain i.e., the cover and compression pad, which could be lost or damaged.
Other prior art designs include, for example, the design shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,968, Connector for a Flexible Flat Cable, by W. S. McCaughey. As disclosed therein, the insulation is removed from the end of the flat cable, and the end is bonded to a support member. A receptacle is mounted to the electronic component, which contains wire-type spring contacts for terminating the round wire conductors. Engagement of the support member of the receptacle is accomplished by means of a coupling nut which forces the flat wire into parallel engagement with the contacts. The main disadvantage of this prior device is that the parallel engagement of the flat wire with the contacts necessitates a long connector assembly.
On the other hand, the device shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,833, Cable and Connector Therefor, by R. A. Elm, comprises a relatively flat connector. Elm requires the precise alignment of the flat cable on a first body member. A second body member having fork-like contacts is placed over the first body such that the prongs of the contact pierce the cables and make sliding contact with the individual conductors. This method has several drawbacks that would make it undesirable to use with many types of flat wire conductor cables. For example, some insulation material is quite tough, and would therefore be difficult to pierce. Other flat cables incorporate very thin plated flat ribbon conductors which could easily be broken by such a mechanical connection. Furthermore, the quality of the electrical contact between the contacts and the ribbon conductor would be suspect, to the degree that total loss of contact could ensue from repeated disconnections and reconnections.
In view of the shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art devices, there is a need for an improved means for the interconnection of flat wire cables with related equipment.
Thus, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel and improved flat cable electrical connector assembly that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art devices of a generally similar character.
It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved flat cable connector assembly that precludes damage to the flat cable or to the conductors therein during assembly.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved flat cable electrical connector assembly that has improved electrical contact between the flat cable conductors and terminals within the connector.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved electrical cable connector of minimal volume.